“You know there’s not,” I say, tracing my eyes over the string lights hanging from the ceiling. “Not my scene. I hear there’s someone special inyourlife, though. Tell me all about him.”
Elias shoots me a look that makes it obvious that my redirection hasn’t gone unnoticed, but he doesn’t push.
“You’re in luck, actually,” he says with an easy grin. “I was going to keep it a secret until he got here, but I invited Artur to join us after he gets off work.”
“Elias!” I squeal, smacking his shoulder in a teasing scold. “You can’t just spring that on me. I have to make a good impression, I wouldn’t have drunk so much if I knew.”
Elias tilts back in his stool as he laughs, warm and affectionate as he reaches out to squeeze my knee. I pout playfully at him, but we both know I’m not really upset. Even I can admit I’m a bitch when I’m mad.
“First of all, the wholepointof tonight is to get you so drunk you can’t walk straight. I know you, and I know you damn well need to let loose.” He’s right, but he doesn’t need to look at me like he sees right through me to all the stress I’ve been carrying. “Secondly, Arthur is going to love you, drunk or not. He knows better than to question my choice in friends, I’ve got him very well trained.”
I toss his fake gag from earlier right back at him, even though it’s soothing to hear his unwavering confidence.
“Keep your training in your pants,” I tease. “Unless it’sreallyjuicy. Then you have to tell me everything.”
Elias grins wickedly and sends a teasing wink my way. “Youstill need to tell me how you’ve been, little lady. Can’t go asking for all my dirty secrets before I’m even caught up on your life! I’ve hardly even heard from you since you left for Cali!”
I make a face at him, but I really have been awful about keeping in touch recently, and I feel more than a little guilty about it. Elias is my best friend, and I’ve been distant — for a long time — and even more so in the last week, because I don’t want to admit what’s been going on with Lucas.
Not that anything is going on with him, obviously. There’s nothing between us anymore. It’s just frustrating to have him back.
I gesture to the bartender for another drink, knowing that I’m going to need it.
“Cali was fine,” I say, leaning against the bar and letting myself get lost in recent memories. “The beaches were nice, but I barely had time to get out there. Who would’ve guessed movie execs are assholes and don’t believe in reasonable timelines, huh?”
Elias curls his lip in disgust, but I just chuckle. It’s not the first time I’ve done a rush job for someone, and it won’t be the last.
“Finally got my Z3 with the paycheck from that job, so I can’t complain too much.”
“Moving up in the world,” Elias jokes with a grin. “You have to take me out in it sometime.”
“I don’t think your tall ass is going tofit,” I say with a laugh. The bartender slides another shot over to me, and I swallow it down without a pause before gesturing for another. “But I’ll take you for a spin, promise. You just might have to keep your knees up by your chin.”
Elias laughs, snagging one of the shots the bartender brings over for himself. I poke him in the side in retribution, but he’s paying, so I can forgive a stolen drink or two.
“What about the ranch? Still standing?” he asks.
Ugh, the ranch is the last thing I want to talk about right now. I grab the other shot on the bar in front of us and toss it back.
“It’s whatever,” I grumble. “Was fine until fuckingLucasshowed up.”
I wince as the words slip out of my mouth. Goddamnit, I didn’t want to make a big deal about him being back. I should’ve known getting so tipsy was a bad idea, but the cat’s out of the bagnow. I had hoped that the appetizers we shared would give me more of a buffer, but I have been sucking whiskey down like it’s water.
So I want to get out of my head, sue me.
“Cross?” Elias slaps his palms on the bar counter. “What the fuck? What is that piece of shit doing back?”
I wince, both at his volume and at the reminder ofwhyLucas came back. I’ve been so wrapped up in my issues with him that I keep forgetting he’s affected by this as well.
“You know why, Eli,” I say softly. “Al was his dad.”
Elias’s mouth twitches at that, settling into a sympathetic frown. “Right. Sorry, just got caught up in, y’know, hating the guy. Has he… Is anything different?”
I know what he’s really asking, and I don’t want to think about it.
Is he still the same? Do you still love him? Does it still hurt?
He knows all about how things ended with Lucas, and was the only person I talked to when it happened. He’s the only one who saw me cry, except maybe Mom. If anyone understands just what Lucas meant to me back then, it’s Elias.
